GEORGE NEWS - The Garden Route Dam Action Group (Gardag) has made its most recent water testing report available to George Herald. Tests were done at the Kat River, Garden Route Dam, and the Gwaing, Kaaimans and Touw River mouth. Here is what they found:
During the dry period from mid-October 2023 to end November 2023, GARDAG undertook a series of water samples over time to the impacts of urban pollution and potentially stage 6 loadshedding on our freshwater environment. The tests were undertaken over a period of more than one month.
Ideally these tests should be undertaken on the same day, but time and financial limitations dictated the monitoring programme. The municipality took their own samples in October 2023 and accompanied Gardag during its testing.
Kat River
The Kat River remains a highly polluted river with E.coli levels above the limits for safe contact recreation measured near Adderley Road (13800 cfu/100 ml), Hops Road (2500 cfu/100 ml) and at the Eden Pump Station (790 cfu/100 ml). The low E.coli levels at the Eden Pump Station can be attributed to dilution from water in the Garden Route Dam, which was full at the time that the sample was taken.
Detailed analysis of samples taken near the old water treatment works, below the new water treatment works and at Hops Road (below the confluence of the Kat River and a tributary), indicated an increase in nitrate and nitrite levels at Hops Road.
The E.coli and nitrate/nitrite levels imply high levels of untreated sewage water flowing from the tributary passing through Fernridge and Denneoord, into the main stem of the Kat River.
Garden Route Dam
The nutrients in the Kat River, specifically the section polluted by urban sewer systems, feed the Kariba weed and water hyacinth that are currently flourishing in the Garden Route Dam.
Apart from overhauling the entire sewer system, the only way to treat this and reduce the growth of Kariba weed, would be treatment of the Kat River to increase the oxygen and microbial activity in the water.
This is a red flag for potential eutrophication of our main water source and one of the main reasons why GARDAG believes that there should not be further urban development within the catchment area of the dam.
River mouths
The Gwaing, Kaaimans and Touw River, all popular tourist destinations during summer, were also sampled to determine the safety of these popular swimming spots. E.coli levels were found to be low (below 10 cfu/100ml), partly due to the rising tide that would dilute as well as sterilize the E.coli in the water. Unless disastrous raw sewerage input into the river systems occurs, these areas should remain open for recreation during the summer holidays.
Watchdog
Gardag is grateful for the work of the George Municipality to manage our water resources. This will have a positive impact on keeping George in the forefront as a beautiful town with unrivalled natural assets.
However, as a watchdog organization, Gardag will remain vigilant and maintain an oversight role over the way the George district’s water resources are managed. If pollution events are experienced during the festive season, Gardag will take samples to keep the public informed. Each E.coli test costs R200 and each nutrient test R720. Members of the public concerned about the quality of our water resources in George are welcome to support Gardag, a registered non-profit organization, with donations. For more information, contact Desireé du Preez, the chairperson, on 082 922 3180.
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